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List:       apache-docs
Subject:    DO NOT REPLY [Bug 51669] New: Documentation of B flag needs to be
From:       bugzilla () apache ! org
Date:       2011-08-17 0:22:09
Message-ID: bug-51669-56585 () https ! issues ! apache ! org/bugzilla/
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https://issues.apache.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=51669

             Bug #: 51669
           Summary: Documentation of B flag needs to be clearer, refer to
                    AllowEncodedSlashes
           Product: Apache httpd-2
           Version: 2.3-HEAD
          Platform: PC
        OS/Version: All
            Status: NEW
          Severity: normal
          Priority: P2
         Component: Documentation
        AssignedTo: docs@httpd.apache.org
        ReportedBy: marcus@synchromedia.co.uk
    Classification: Unclassified


The documentation for the mod_rewrite B-flag uses one poorly chosen example and
lacks a link to other important info.

http://httpd.apache.org/docs/current/rewrite/flags.html#flag_b

A better example would be when submitting parameters containg normal urlencoded
characters, and not special cases like '+', so given a typical rewrite like:

RewriteRule ^search/(.*)$ /search.php?term=$1

Given a search term of 'x & y/z', a browser will encode it as
'x%20%26%20y%2Fz', making the request 'search/x%20%26%20y%2Fz'. Without the B
flag, this rewrite rule will map to 'search.php?term=x & y/z', which isn't a
valid URL, and would behave as if you had requested:
'search.php?term=x%20&y%2Fz=', which is not what was intended.

With the B flag set on this same rule, the parameters are re-encoded before
being passed on to the output URL, resulting in a correct mapping to
'/search.php?term=x%20%26%20y%2Fz'.

Importantly, both of these examples will fail on a default apache configuration
because apache doesn't allow encoded slashes in URLs, and returns a 404 if it
sees one. This behaviour is overridable using the AllowEncodedSlashes directive
(and provide a cross-reference to that).

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